Defrocked Pro-life Priest Defends Ousted Bishop

Former Catholic priest Rev. Frank Pavone decried Pope Francis and the Vatican's decision last week to remove Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, for questioning the Catholic church's direction under the pontiff.

"The removal of Bishop Strickland is outrageous and should be responded to with prayer and action," Pavone said in an email to Newsmax on Thursday. "Sadly, the Vatican itself, either by public statements, assemblies, appointments, or lack of action, has confused many people about where the Church stands on fundamental moral issues."

Vatican News reported Nov. 11 that Pope Francis removed Strickland from the Diocese of Tyler when he refused a request by the Vatican to resign the position.

According to the report, Pope Francis asked Strickland to resign after a visit conducted by Camden Bishop Dennis Sullivan and Tucson Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas.

"[The two] conducted an exhaustive inquired into all aspects of the governance and leadership of the Diocese of Tyler by its Ordinary, Bishop Joseph Strickland," Metropolitan Archbishop of Galveston-Houston Cardinal Daniel Nicholas DiNardo said in a statement to the news outlet. "As a result of the visitation, the recommendation was made to the Holy Father that the continuation in office of Bishop Strickland was not feasible.

"After months of careful consideration by the Dicastery for Bishops and the Holy Father, the decision was reached that the resignation of Bishop Strickland should be requested. Having been presented with that request on Nov. 9, 2023, Bishop Strickland declined to resign from office."

Pavone said that the removal for the bishop's conservative views is the latest example of "cancel culture" in the church.

"Bishop Strickland is the latest victim of the cancel culture that has infected the Vatican leadership with the encouragement of Pope Francis," Pavone said. "We have a weaponized government in America, and now we have a weaponized Church."

Pavone, who heads the pro-life Priests for Life organization, was defrocked by the Vatican last year for "blasphemous communications on social media" and "persistent disobedience" for actively supporting former President Donald Trump, NBC News reported at the time.

"We are in a Police State, and, we are also now in a Police Church, where the norms of justice are turned upside down," Pavone said. "Instead of identifying crimes and going after the people who did them, they identify people they don't like and treat them as if they committed a crime."

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